Keith Adams
Diesel is far from dead, says Keith.
I’ve been thinking a lot about diesels recently. I guess it’s part and parcel of a day job that sees me immersed in the new-car world, where it seems that every story in town is about electrification. This is leaving cars fuelled by the black pump about as desirable as last week’s semolina pudding. But jumping back into the world of modern classics, this leaves me massively conflicted, mainly because diesel is far from dead as a fuel, and still makes all kinds of sense.
What set my diesel thoughts in motion was a 2002 BMW 330d that I almost pulled the 'buy' trigger on recently. It was a one-owner E46 with less than 100,000 miles on the clock and was being offered at a very friendly price. I mulled and mulled and, although BMWS aren’t really my thing, I’ll be the first to admit the 3 Series has fantastic steering feel and balance. With 181bhp and stump-pulling torque to play with, it would also have been a quick plaything. How quick? Well how does 0-60mph in 7.8 seconds and 141mph flat out sound?
In the end, the 330d didn’t happen, but it did reawaken my interest in diesels, and what they mean for the modern classics movement. I was a reasonably early adopter of diesel, buying my first (a 71bhp Citroën BX 19 TGD) back in 1993, and never really being far from one ever since. The best one I ever had – by some margin – was a Citroën C6 Exclusive, which I absolutely adored throughout the 18 months I had it. I never once thought it was in any way substandard for being a diesel – quite the contrary in fact. Of course, the car was helped significantly by being powered by a 2.7-litre twin-turbo V6 good for 208bhp. That figure went up to nearer 260 once I’d had it remapped, too.
Bargains to be had
If you’re into larger cars, and you’re in the modern classics universe, you’re more than likely going to be forced to buy a diesel anyway. Such joys as the Alfa Romeo 159, Saab 9-5, BMW 5 Series and Volvo V70 are much more numerous in diesel form. And here’s the thing – because the anti-diesel movement is growing, prices are getting lower. Much lower.
Want a great buying tip? The aforementioned BMW 330d as a breed is generally half the price of its much-vaunted petrol counterpart, and while it’s more economical, it’s hardly any slower.
As well as a Citroën C6, I’ve been hankering after another Rover 75 recently, and although I’m the first person to admit the creamy smooth KV6 is something else, it feels too magnificent an engine to be reduced to the fetching and carrying that I have in mind. The 75 was another great diesel car that I've owned in the past, and I have all the time in the world for the BMW M47 engine that powers it. So, why not? Especially when decent examples can be had for less than the price of a 50in telly these days.
Not second class citizens
As modern classics, diesels deserve to be seen as being just as acceptable as petrols. They have earned their place at the table. They might need more oil changes, and if you don’t look after them properly, they do get smoky (why do Ford and VAG seem to be the worst for this?), but as long as you stick to pre-dpf cars, they shouldn’t be too scary to maintain properly and keep legal. And, of course, all of this advice is for those of you who don’t live in a ULEZ area – or somewhere set to become one.
So, although in the past five or so years, we’ve seen the new car industry move on (myself included, before I had a word with myself), I reckon these cars are a great time capsule reflecting when we were swept along by the dash for diesel.
I also think the development of diesel technology from the late-eighties has been phenomenal, and something that vehicle engineers across the industry should be truly proud of – for a configuration that’s inherently less powerful and rougher than an equivalent petrol, they’ve done amazing things. Not least winning the legendary 24 Heures of Le Mans endurance race… and probably powering my next new purchase.